LAKE COUNTY >> Although the Sulphur Fire is in the mop up stage, park closures caused by the blaze will remain in effect until further notice.
When the fire erupted last week, Mt. Konocti and Highland Springs Park were closed to the public. Both will remain closed due to the lack of staffing and the disruption of services in the area.
County Supervisors Tina Scott and Rob Brown, whose districts cover the parks, agreed with the decision.
“It was a good move to close the parks,” Brown said. “We are still strapped for resources so I would recommend that we keep them closed probably until the end of the week and maybe open them up Saturday.”
Brown reported that the two were originally shut down because they could have been impacted by the Sulphur Fire. Park closures were also ordered for the Clayton and Valley Fires.
Only parks that could have been impacted were closed.
Sheriff Brian Martin said if something were to happen in either of these parks, response would be more difficult than in other county properties. Many staff members of Mt. Konocti and Highland Springs live outside of the county and are dealing with regional fires.
Martin added that he would not want someone to be recreating in either of the parks and be trapped there due to a fire. Fire or Police staff would have difficulty getting there because resources are being used elsewhere.
“As far as resources being strapped, we are short staff at the sheriff’s office as is every other department and we’re going to continue to be short staffed in addition to our normal staffing shortages through these fires as our surrounding counties recover,” Martin said.
Since county department officials were the ones who closed the parks they can also be the ones to reopen the parks as well and no action by the board is needed.
Department heads, with consulting officials from the Office of Emergency Services, will potentially reopen the parks after the anticipated rainfall occurs either today or Friday. Brown advises that if people had planned events there later this week to keep the plans or events still and be prepared to either have them or cancel them.
